


Sunshine in a Hurricane

by ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, For a Friend, evansson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 12:31:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18446603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild/pseuds/ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild
Summary: After being caught in a hurricane of paparazzi, Chris Evans goes home to his girls, Scarlett and Rose





	Sunshine in a Hurricane

  
Sun. Camera flash. 

Careful, Chris. 

In this free-for-all, he's not to make it seem like he's on team Iron Man, when he's Captain America, but he leans a little closer to Robert, silently releasing a held breath when the older man's arm sneaks around his neck and pulls him down for a picture. 

More camera flashes. 

Girls screaming, shrieking delightedly, fainting from the intensity of the experience. It's not that he isn't flattered by it - hell, five years ago, he might have acted on an impulse. But, not today. Not when he can't even focus on the group of - probably beautiful - ladies screaming his name. 

_"Chris! Over here! Chris! Hey Robert! Chris! Where's Scarlett? I want a picture of that perfect ass!"_

Muscles tighten, tense ferociously. 

He wants to rip that paparazzo's head off for asking such a question. It's none of his business where she is. He's preparing a tongue-lashing when Susan Downey appears at his other elbow and looks up at him. She's calm and collected and he doesn't know how because her husband is the center of attention, nearly everywhere he goes, but she's the picture of graceful. 

"It's none of his business," she murmurs, squeezing him in a hug. Is she psychic? "But, just remember, it's not him. It's you." 

"I know." 

_"Sebastian! Anthony!"_

"Hey, listen man," Anthony grabs a pap's shoulder and speaks loudly, making sure he's heard by all of the other picture-happy men. "I know she's a gorgeous woman but I think Chris would appreciate it, if you didn't talk about her like that," he gives the guy's shoulder an emphatic squeeze, bicep rippling with the movement. "We all would." 

The pap's head drops and Mackie knows he's done his job. 

He straightens his jacket and walks away with a salute to the other cameramen. He understands it's their job, but he also knows how Chris gets without Scarlett to ground him.

He fidgets, shifts his weight, and clicks his teeth like he's playing a tune. So, he's not surprised when he finds Robert and Susan on either side of Chris, and Susan holding her hand out to Sebastian. 

It's going to take every one of them to get him through this red carpet without injury. It's not his first - and probably won't be his last - without Scarlett, but he'd already been nervous to do it without her, because of this new thing between them, and then paps had to go and act like assholes and wind him up, even more. 

Every single one of them can tell Chris is just so done. 

... 

Robert and Susan keep him calm as they follow Anthony and Sebastian into the theater. It's dark, quiet, and they're not due on stage to introduce the movie for a few minutes. 

"Ten minutes." Robert murmurs, wrapping his arm around Susan. "Make it quick." 

...

 _'I miss you. A pap wanted a pic of your ass. I wanted his head ripped off of his neck.'_

Scarlett laughs. 

Without a second thought, she snaps a picture of Rose eating the strawberries, she had sliced into a bowl, and thumbs a reply. 

_'Rosie is eating your strawberries.'_

... 

"Please welcome to the stage Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Sebastian Stan, Elizabeth Olsen, and Anthony Mackie!" 

... 

Robert is hilarious. 

His easily achieved repartee with the audience is a much welcome balm over the tattered nerves of the individuals on stage. It's easy to laugh, and he relaxes into his speech with little effort. His energy is infectious and Chris feel his nerves thrum with excitement as his anger ebbs. 

"Also, I speak for myself and these three gentlemen on stage when I say that if one word is said about Scarlett or her buttocks, there will be a Civil War sequel in this theater." 

...

He grins. 

The picture is adorable - his little Rosie, chubby face pink with delight, and lips puckered around a strawberry slice. She's clearly hamming it up for the camera almost as if she knows who'll be receiving the picture. 

_'Awww, my little Rosie.'_

... 

_"Chris!"_

_She's sweaty and exhausted; cheeks flushed and eyelids drooping heavily. But there's a soft pink bundle pressed to her Mom's exposed breast, suckling happily on what is probably her first meal since arriving in the world._

_"Hi sweetheart." Chris lays the white tulips on the table and moves to kiss her cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't get here in time."_

_"It's alright." Scarlett smiles happily up at him. "Chris, this is my daughter. Rose Dorothy Dauriac."_

_"She's beautiful!" he tenderly rubs a finger through the baby's silky hair. "She's perfect, Scarlett. Just like her Mama."_

_Chris kisses Scarlett's head and wraps his arms around both of them. She lays her head on his shoulder and they both watch her daughter nurse. He's warm and strong and when she looks up at him, he's awe-struck watching the little baby in her arms. More awe-struck than Romain had been before he'd left for some work emergency, earlier._

_Green eyes sting._

_She wishes she'd married Chris._

... 

The screening goes off without a hitch. 

Mostly.

The offending reporter stays away from Chris and Anthony, choosing to approach only the people, he's had no prior unpleasant experiences with. Chris couldn't be happier. He wants nothing to do with the slime-ball. 

... 

_"Where's Romain, sweetheart?"_

_"Work emergency." Scarlett tucks her breast back into the paper gown. "I guess - couldn't prove it, though."_

_Chris' eyes darken._

_He should have known, really. From the day Scarlett found out she was pregnant, Romain had been absentee at best. So, instead of Romain being the husband and father-to-be he should have been - Chris packed up, flew to France, and spent nine months in Scarlett's guest bedroom. He made sure she got the proper nutrition, her vitamins, and he took her to every doctor's appointment between the time she peed on a stick up until now._

_He saw Romain three times in that time._

_Never once for longer than ten minutes._

_"Will you stay with me?" Scarlett's eyes widen hopefully._

_He's exhausted. Jet-lag is a bitch, and he just flew back in from filming his post-credits scene for Ant-Man, but she's looking up at him with those big, green eyes, and he knows he can't say no._

_"Yeah, babe."_

_He stays._

_Romain never comes back._

...

"You good, man?" 

"Yeah," he's hanging around the back exit of the theater when Anthony finds him. "Yeah, I'm good." 

"Where's your girls?" Anthony laughs when he sees Chris thumbing the phone shaped lump in his front pocket. 

"Eating my strawberries." 

Chris slides the phone out of his pocket and pulls up the picture. They both grin at the sight of Rose eating the red fruit, juice staining her chin red. Rosie is more Chris, than Romain, and to be honest both him and Scarlett are grateful that Romain chose not to be in Rose's life. 

"She's more like you, everyday, Chris." it's Sebastian, this time. Steel eyes staring at the little girl on the screen. 

"I know." Chris sighs, sliding the phone into his pocket, again. "I'm afraid it's all gonna disappear, soon. I'm afraid Romain's going to win her back." 

"Has he tried?" 

"Every day for a solid year." Chris growls, "I'm telling you, he doesn't know when to give up." 

"She's said no, every-time, Chris." it's Sebastian's strong grip squeezing the back of his neck. "She's not going anywhere, Evans." 

"I know." Chris nods. 

"Then go home, go see your girls." 

That's all it takes for Chris. He finds his car and is gone within minutes. Sebastian isn't far behind him, taking his leave when Elizabeth exits the theater. Anthony is left standing there, grinning at his love-sick best friends. 

Although, at least Chris was man enough to tell Scarlett.

Sebastian hasn't told Lizzie. 

... 

"Oh," Scarlett gasps softly into the head of curly hair resting against her chest. "I hear somebody." 

The sound of the door opening and keys being dropped onto the table by the door is followed by the nonsensical babble of Rose realizing that her favorite Chris is home. Scarlett's been trying to get her to go to sleep for a while with no luck. 

"Is that my little Rosie still awake?" Chris is unbuttoning his jacket when he enters the living room. "What are you two doing still awake?" 

"This one," Scarlett presses a gentle hand to the top of her daughter's head. "Won't go to sleep without you." 

"Mom?" 

"She's stubborn." 

Chris laughs at his Mom's playful grumbling. He shrugs out of his jacket, toes off his shoes, and rolls his sleeves up to his elbow before motioning for Scarlett to hand her over. The almost-two-year-old goes willingly into Chris' arms and buries her face in his chest. 

"Now, tell me, why are you still awake? Hmm?" Lisa listens to her son's soft voice, soothing the little girl. 

He speaks quietly, tenderly, into her soft curls and she watches as Rose's eyes droop and she's slowly drifting off to sleep. He shifts her up so her head in on his shoulder and rubs her back until, with a stubborn huff, she's sleeping soundly. 

"I'll just go put her to bed." Chris murmurs, still rubbing soothing circles up and down her spine. 

... 

"How was the premier?" slender arms slide around his middle and she nudges her head against his chest. 

Chris laughs warmly, wrapping one arm around her, and letting his other hand sink into her soft hair. "It took Robert, Susan, Anthony, _and_ Sebastian to keep me from killing a reporter." 

"The one who - ?" 

He nods, looking down at the tiny woman pressed against him. "I hate doing stuff without you, Scar." 

"I know, I'm sorry." Scarlett apologizes. "But Rose - I can't just leave her." 

"I know, and I understand." he soothes her distress. "I didn't mean it that way. I know Rosie comes first. I just got a little worked up." 

Her eyes, always so intelligent and such a crisp shade of green, stare up at him. She sees the faint traces of red around his eyes and knows he'd tried not to get worked up to the point of tears. She reaches up to brush her thumb under his eye; "Reporters are idiots, Chris." 

His agreement comes with a nod as he brings his hand from her head to wrist and tilts his cheek into her palm. His smile is one of exhaustion but tenderness; "They love you, babe. And who can blame them?" 

Scarlett just giggles and shakes her head; "You're adorable, you meatball." 

"You love me." 

"I do." she nods. "Do you love me?" 

"Always, baby girl." 

... 

They've forgotten her presence. 

That much is obvious - but, Lisa doesn't mind. The tender moment is obviously much needed, after Chris' anxiety about reporters and Scarlett having a tough time getting Rose to go to sleep. They need a moment to soothe each other. In the decade or so she's known Scarlett and witnessed her son's friendship with the woman, she's rarely seen a moment when they weren't able to calm each other down. 

She's never once worried about her son when Scarlett is around.

... 

" - You're silly!" 

Scarlett's flipping Chris' favorite chocolate chip crepes when he comes bouncing down the hall, a giggling Rose on his broad shoulders. His hair is a mess and his t-shirt barely meets the basketball shorts slung low on his hips but his eyes are bright and happy and he's not the same Chris that came home last night. The one who didn't seem to be breathing until Rose was nestled against him and he was soothing her to sleep. The one who was on the edge of tears until Scarlett was in his arms and talking him down. 

"G'morning, baby." his large hands wrap around Rose's knees to hold her steady as he bends down to kiss Scarlett's cheek. 

"Morning." Scarlett grins, hip checking him out of the way so she can plate his breakfast. "Feeling better?" 

"Yeah, baby girl. I'm alright, now." Chris reaches up to pluck the little girl from his shoulders. He cradles her in his arms as if she was still a newborn and leans down to blow a raspberry on her tummy, listening to her sweet little giggle. "Who can be sad with this much sunshine?" 

Scarlett just smiles, topping his breakfast with a few slices of strawberry, before turning to present him with the food. She pours coffee, he pours glasses of cold orange juice, and milk into a sippy cup for Rose before they sit down to breakfast. 

... 

Lisa will find them like that. 

Scarlett leaning closer to Chris, hand cupping his cheek, as he smiles tenderly at whatever she said, arms still tucked around the giggling child in his lap. It's a sweet scene; so tender and intimate and familiar, and it'll be what inspires Lisa to get her camera and snap a picture. It'll be what inspires her to send her son a copy with the simple caption. 

_Marry the girl, son._

... 

_1 year later..._

"This just in, Hollywood heart-throb Chris Evans is engaged!" Maria Menounos announces happily, "The Captain America star is set to marry his fellow Marvel alum Scarlett Johansson! Frequent co-stars, Chris says of Scarlett, she's my best friend and I couldn't imagine my life without her or Rose! Congratulations Chris!" 

"You're not going to ask me to move to France, are you?" Scarlett presses a button the remote and Maria's face flickers on the screen as it powers off. She waits for him to get settled before abandoning her side of the bed for the warmth of his chest. 

"No," Chris breathes into her hair, settling his arms around her. "But, I'd move to France if you asked me to." 

"No." she looks up at him happily. "I'm happy right where I am." 

"Me too, sweetheart."

 


End file.
